“Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, ‘How can I help?’” (Romans 15:2, MSG)
If you’re driving and get a flat tire, and a well-known celebrity drives by, nobody expects them to stop and help you. They’re likely too busy or too important to help you with your problems.
But those aren’t kingdom values — those are worldly values. Jesus said that, if you want to be great, you must be the servant of all. The more you give of yourself and serve other people, the greater you are in God’s kingdom.
We can’t force ourselves onto people, but we can open the door to assist when we see distress in the life of someone around us.
What does it mean to love like Jesus? The Message paraphrase says, “Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, ‘How can I help?’” (Romans 15:2, MSG).
In fact, one way to serve like Jesus is by serving others as if you’re serving Jesus himself. Look for how Jesus might, in a way, be disguised as a hurting person in your neighborhood. He might be at the coffee station on Monday morning. He might be at the soccer game. He might be behind you in line at the grocery store. He might be the most unlovable person you know who is carrying a deep hurt. If you want to serve Jesus, then start by showing up for the hurting people around you.
Many people in your church, neighborhood, and even family are single parents working to put food on the table, widows who are lonely in their empty houses, or students who are overwhelmed. There are elderly in various care centers who were the pioneers of local congregations and now no one from their church comes to visit them.
- How can you love them like Jesus loves them?
- How did Jesus model what it means to be a servant?
- When has someone shown you Jesus’ love by serving you?
- Think of someone in your life who’s hurting. What’s one thing you can do today to love that person?
We are all called to pray and care for others in need (and everyone is in need).
Prayer
Lord, everyone in this world is in need of something: Home, health, food, companionship, and most of all, Your saving grace of love. Stretch out Your hand and touch their lives with what they need and give them the hope in Your promises.
Stay encouraged!
Pastor Mike
